The 20 Sexiest Miss Universe Winners Ever

We all look forward to the historic Miss Universe pageantry every year, but what many don’t know is the pageantry started a long time ago in Long Beach, California in 1952. Previously, the contest was conducted as a local “bathing beauty” competition for Swimwear but it was a matter of time before it introduced entertaining events in the mix: a raging beauty pageant with contestants from all over the world. Today, it has grown to become the most crucial and promoted beauty pageant in the world.

Through the years, we’ve seen beautiful and sexy people, but we have become enthusiastic about a few. Check out the sexiest and hottest Miss Universe ever to adorn the crown.

Sexiest Miss Universe Winners We Have Seen Yet

1. Armi Kuusela (1952 – Miss Universe Maiden Edition)

  • Date of birth – 20 August 1934
  • Education – NA
  • Height – 1.65 m (5 feet 5 inches)
  • Hair color – Blonde
  • Eye color – Blue

Armi Kuusela contested in the Miss Universe pageant as a 17-year girl from Finland and became the first Miss Universe queen in the world… that’s some unbeatable record! The U.S resident beauty queen was not only the first to win the Miss Universe title at a glittering debut ceremony but was also the first Miss Universe ever representing Finland. Many may think she would have been a cover girl for thousands of magazines but she chose a quiet life afterward. She is married and active in charities and in cancer research.

2. Gladys Zender (1957)

  • Date of birth – October 19, 1939
  • Education – Studied arts and languages at the German School of Nuns for Women, Santa Ursula
  • Height – 1.70 m (5 feet 7 inches)
  • Hair color – Black
  • Eye color – Brown

Gladys is a Peruvian model and beauty queen. She became the first Latin American woman to win the Miss Universe title after being crowned Miss Peru Universe in 1957. One interesting thing about her is that she had not met the contest’s minimum age requirement when she won the competition at the age of 17 years and some months. The stunning beauty (who is in her eighties now) has black hair, brown eyes, and a height of 1.70 m (5 ft 7 inches). She is married to Peruvian politician, Antonio Meier.

3. Shawn Weatherly (1980)

  • Date of Birth – 24 July 1959
  • Education – Sumter High School and Clemson University where she studied nursing
  • Height – 1.72 m (5 feet 8 inches)
  • Hair color – Blonde
  • Eye color – Blue

Arguably the sexiest Miss Universe ever, Shawn Weatherly won the titles of Miss USA and Miss Universe in 1980. Though many of us in our late 20’s will recognize Weatherly as Jilly in Baywatch, her TV career only began after she won the coveted crown.

4. Angela Visser (1989)

  • Date of birth – 18 October 1966
  • Education – NA
  • Height – 1.78 m (5 feet 10 inches)
  • Hair color – Blonde
  • Eye color – Green

Angela Visser is the first Dutch to win the Miss Universe and she won the title in 1989. Following that, she was named “The Best Miss Universe Ever” at an event that took place in 1999. The Dutch beauty queen has since become an actress and a model. She strikes blonde hair, green eyes, and ‎1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) in height. The Dutch beauty is married to Phil Missig with whom she has a child.

5. Mona Grudt (1990)

  • Date of birth – 6 April 1971
  • Education – NA
  • Height – 1.78 m (5 feet 10 inches)
  • Hair color – Red
  • Eye color – Green

Mona Grudt is a Norwegian who became the judges’ favorite in Miss Universe 1990, becoming the first and the only Norwegian to capture the Miss Universe title. She was listed in the competition as a “beauty queen from hell” (either because she was born in Hell, Norway or because hell’ means ‘luck’ in Norwegian). Since being crowned the Miss Universe, she has gone on to become a TV host, dancer, and editor.

Grudt has been through two failed marriages; first to Lasse Berre – from 1995 to 1999 – and then to Brody Bittrick – from 2005 to 2012. She has a height of 5 feet 10 inches.

6. Sushmita Sen (1994)

  • Date of Birth – 19 November 1975
  • Education – Air Force Golden Jubilee Institute (New Delhi) and St. Ann’s High School (Secunderabad)
  • Height – 1.75 m (5 feet 9 inches)
  • Hair color – Dark brown
  • Eye color – Light brown

Sushmita has become more famous as an actress than a model, although it was thanks to the latter that she first gained fame. The Indian ageless beauty was born in November 1975. She wore the Miss Universe crown in 1994 at the age of 18, thereby becoming the first Indian to win the prize. Sen has since appeared in many Hindi films and has won many accolades in the process since the end of her reign as a beauty queen. She has two children,  Renee Sen and Alisah Sen. She stands at 5 feet 7 inches tall. 

7. Wendy Fitzwilliam (1998)

  • Date of birth – 4 October 1972
  • Education – Diego Martin Girls R.C, St. Joseph’s Convent in Port of Spain, studied law at University of the West Indies and Hugh Wooding Law School
  • Height – 1.82 m (6 feet 0 inches)
  • Hair color – Black
  • Eye color – Brown

Wendy Fitzwilliam won Miss Universe in 1998 and made history as the second person from Trinidad and Tobago. She is well-known for her remarkable height which earned her a place as one of the tallest winners in history. Apart from being a beauty queen, the charmer is also a Trinidadian lawyer, actress, model, singer, and TV Host.

8. Lara Dutta (2000)

  • Date of birth – 16 April 1978
  • Education – St. Francis Xavier Girls’ High School and the Frank Anthony Public School (high school) and University of Mumbai (degree in economics and minor in communications)
  • Height – 1.72 m (5 feet 8 inches)
  • Hair color – Black
  • Eye color – Light brown

Lara Dutta represented India at the Miss Universe beauty pageant in 2000. The young India stunner didn’t go down the history as just a contestant; she also won the renowned title, topping seventy-nine delegates who took part in the competition. She found great success as an actress afterward, gathering several critical acclaims for her performances. The beauty has also received an award in film as the best female debut in Filmfare. She got married to Mahesh Bhupathi in 2011 and they are blessed with a child. Dutta is 5 feet 8 inches tall.

9. Justine Pasek (2002)

  • Date of Birth – 29 August 1979
  • Education – NA
  • Height – 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
  • Hair color – Brown
  • Eye color – Hazel

Justine Pasek (Facebook)The 2000s have seen the rise of some of the sexiest Miss Universe winners ever, and one of them is the Panamanian model Justine Pasek – who was crowned in 2002 by Donald Trump, co-owner of the beauty pageant. She was born in August 1979 and started out as a model before she later jumped into pageantry. Pasek is married to Daniel Joelson with whom she is blessed with two children. She has a height of 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in), brown hair, and hazel eyes.

10. Amelia Vega (2003)

  • Date of birth – 7 November 1984
  • Education – Barbizon Modelling and Acting School in Santo Domingo
  • Height – 1.88 m (6 feet 2 inches )
  • Hair color – Brown
  • Eye color – Brown

Amelia Vega became the first Dominican to win the Miss Universe title – a crown she won in 2003. She overtook Wendy Fitzwilliam (the 1998 winner) as the tallest woman to ever win the pageant with a height of 6’2. The beauty queen has also led a successful career as an actress. And when it comes to fashion, she hasn’t disappointed as she has appeared on the cover of several magazines. Well, we don’t expect less as she oozes beauty and glamour!

11. Jennifer Hawkins (2004)

  • Date of Birth – 22 December 1983 
  • Education – West Wallsend High School 
  • Height – 1.8 m (5 feet 11 inches)
  • Hair color – Blonde
  • Eye color – Blue

The 2004 Aussie winner remains one of the hottest winners in history. That achievement has made her become an Australian supermodel, brand ambassador, and TV presenter. She is the hostess of Australia’s Next Top Model and also the CEO of several flourishing products and clothing lines. 5 feet 11 inches tall, Hawkins has a child with her husband, Jake Wall.

12. Natalie Glebova (2005)

  • Date of birth – 11 November 1981
  • Education – Bachelor of Commerce in information technology management and marketing from Ryerson University
  • Height – 1.80 m (5 feet 11 inches)
  • Hair color – Brown
  • Eye color – Blue

Natalie Glebova is a Russian-Canadian beauty queen who won Miss Universe 2005 in Thailand after winning Miss Universe Canada the same year. The stunner has since modeled for many beauty products and graced different fashion shows. She also upped her career to become a TV Host, author, and dancer. What an achiever!

13. Riyo Mori (2007)

  • Date of Birth – 24 December 1986
  • Education – Quinte Ballet School of Canada, Centennial Secondary School in Belleville, Ontario, Canada and Mount Douglas Secondary School in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
  • Height – 1.74 m (5 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
  • Hair color – Black
  • Eye color – Brown

Japanese actress, dancer, beauty queen, model, and 2007 Miss Universe – Riyo Mori – was cut out for a career in arts from the tender age of 4 when she began dancing. She studied ballet at Quinte Ballet School of Canada and reports have it that she still keeps her first pair of ballet shoes. The former Miss Universe won the crown on May 28, 2007, in Mexico City, Mexico to become the second Japanese woman (after Akiko Kojima in 1959) to have ever won the competition.

14. Olivia Culpo (2012)

  • Date of Birth – 8 May 1992
  • Education – St. Mary Academy and Boston University
  • Height – 1.70 m (5 feet 5 inches)
  • Hair color – Dark brown
  • Eye color – Dark brown

Olivia Culpo of Cranston brought the Miss Universe title back to the USA in 2012 after 15 years. That’s not all, the beauty had won the titles of Miss Rhode Island USA and Miss USA before winning Miss Universe – all within 15 months. She has gone on to become an actress, model, television presenter, and cellist.

15. Gabriela Isler (2013)

  • Date of birth – 21 March 1988
  • Education – BA in management and marketing from Universidad Tecnológica del Centro (UNITEC)
  • Height – 1.79 m (5 feet 10 inches)
  • Hair color – Light brown
  • Eye color – Drak brown

Venezuelan Gabriela Isler clinched the Miss Universe title in 2013, at the age of 24. She was born in Valencia, Venezuela in 1988 and is of Swiss and German descent. She holds a degree in management and marketing. Gabriela started her career as a model when she was 14 in Maracay where she grew up. The beauty has light brown colored hair, brown eyes, and stands at a height of 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in).

16. Paulina Vega (2014)

  • Date of Birth – 15 January 1993
  • Education – Business administration at Pontifical Xavierian University
  • Height – 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in) 
  • Hair color – Brown
  • Eye color – Light Brown

Paulina Vega Dieppa is a Colombian beauty queen and TV host who won the Miss Universe in 2014, becoming the second Colombian to do so. She was born in 1993 in Barranquilla, Colombia, and attended Pontifical Xavierian University. Vega has hosted many events as a TV host including Viña del Mar International Song Festival Opening in 2019 for Fox Channel. With striking beauty that earns her a spot among the sexiest Miss Universe winners, she has brown eyes and born hair and has a height of 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in).

17. Pia Wurtzbach (2015)

  • Date of Birth – 24 September 1989
  • Education – Secondary education at ABS-CBN Distance Learning Center in Quezon City, Metro Manila and tertiary education at Center for Asian Culinary Studies in San Juan, Metro Manila
  • Height – 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
  • Hair color – Black
  • Eye color – Brown

Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach who is more popularly known as Pia Romero is a Filipina-German mode who won the highly coveted Miss Universe competition in 2015. Prior to the same year, she won her home country’s Miss Universe Philippines having participated in the (Binibining Pilipinas) pageantry twice which she both lost. However, by her 3rd entry, the crown was all hers for keeps. Notably, Pia is also one of only 4 Philipinas to have won the competition.

18. Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (2017)

  • Date of Birth – 28 June 1995
  • Education – Studied business management and entrepreneurship at North-West University
  • Height – 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
  • Hair color – Brown
  • Eye color – Hazel

Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters is the 5th African lady to win the Miss Univers contest and also the 2nd of 3 South Africans who have won the highly coveted title so far. Demi-Leigh began modeling part-time while she was a student of Cape Town-based modeling agencies – Vision Management and Boss Models. After she graduated from college in March 2017, she won Miss South Africa 2017 and just a few days later precisely on March 26, 2017. Later on November 27, 2017, she won the Miss Universe pageantry.

19. Catriona Gray (2018)

  • Date of Birth – 6 January 1994
  • Education – Trinity Anglican School in Cairns, earned a graduate certificate in music theory from Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts
  • Height – 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
  • Hair color – Brown
  • Eye color – Brown

Catriona Elisa Magnayon Gray is a Filipino-Australian model, singer who is the 4th Philipina to have won the Miss Universe title. She was born to Ian Gray, an Australian with Scottish roots, and Normita Ragas Magnayon a Philipina from Oas, Albay. While she was in high school, she learned Choi Kwang-Do martial arts and earned a black belt thereof. Following her graduation, Catriona relocated to Manilla, Philipines where she started working as a model. She won Miss World Philippines 2016 on Oct 2nd and later Binibining Pilipinas / Miss Universe 2018 on 18 March 2018.

20. Zozibini Tunzi (2019)

  • Date of Birth – 18 September 1993
  • Education – National Diploma in public relations management from Cape Peninsula University of Technology
  • Height – 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
  • Hair color – Black 
  • Eye color – Brown

South African born Zozibini Tunzi made history and brought honor to the African continent when she was crowned Miss Universe Winner in 2019. She’s the 6th African, second black African (after Angolan Leila Lopes in 2011), and 3rd South African to win the competition. Tunzi not only won the crown, but she did so in style with her afro-textured hair and broke an agelong tradition of many African ladies who have participated in the tourney wearing weavons.

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